A Dual-Wavelength Study Of The Vertical Structure Of The AU Microscopii Debris Disk

Abstract

Debris disks are scaled-up analogs of the Kuiper Belt in which dust is generated by collisions between planetesimals. A foundation of our understanding of debris disks is the concept of a "collisional cascade," where the mass loss from radiation pressure within a disk is replenished by larger planetesimals colliding with smaller bodies. One standard assumption of this model is that the collisions are This thesis is the culmination of two years of research at Wesleyan, and hopefully the first of many works that I will publish in my academic career. I will always remember writing code for this project at 4 am during the most intense episodes of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Astronomy has opened doors for me and given me opportunities to explore the world, and I pledge to give back to astronomy by collaborating with others to explore the universe.